Running and steering gear for motor-vehicles.



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-Patenfqm Feh.'z5. 1902.

W. BGWKER', Sn. RUNNING ANn'sTEERmG GEAR Fon moms vEmcLEs.

(Applcation ld June 22, 1901. lHallowed Jan. 30, 1902.)

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l JE Lw' No. 693.994. Patented Fab. 25, |902.

W. BUWKER, SR.y RUNNING AND STEERINGl GEAR FOB MOTUBVEHILES. (Application led Jq'e 22, 190!- Rcnewed Jan. 30, 1902.) (No Model.) Y 3 shqathsheet z.

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No. s93,994.- Patented Feb. 25, |902.

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RUNNING AND-STEERINGV GEAR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

l (Applietin med Jnqsz, 1901,* Renewed Jan. so, 1902.) (No Modl.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM BOWKER, SR.,v on WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

RUNNING AND STEERING GEAR FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,994, dated February 25, 1902. Application filed .Tune 22, 1901. Renewed J'annary 30, 1902. .Serial No. 91,890. (No model.)

To all tlf/tom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM BowKER, Sr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Waltham, Middlesex county, Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Running and Steering Gear for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is aspeciication.

The invention relates to the class of vehicles known as motor-vehicles.

The objects of the invention are to provide such a vehicle with a series of pivoted horizontally-turning wheel-carrying frames carrying the motors for the wheels journaled in said frames, also to connect the said frames for simultaneous operation by a steering shaft or lever, and also to drive the wheels from the motor-shafts through the medium of a pinion on each shaft meshing into a gear pivoted on the Wheel-frame, said gear in turn meshing into an internally-toothed gear on the Wheel. These and other objects are accomplished by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, in ,which- Figure l is a plan of my improved running and steering gear, the platform being removed save at its margin and the rear right-hand wheel-carrying frame being in section. l Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section on line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is afront end viewwith parts in section. Fig. 4 is a plan of the upper ends of the front Wheel-carrying frames and the steering-pinion.

A designates the vehicle body or platform, of any suitable construction, supported upon four driven wheels C C C C. These four wheels aremounted in horizontally-turning wheels and motor-carrying frames G, thetwo front frames being provided at the adjacent portions of their upper circular edges with gear` teeth g, into which meshes the steering-pinion I on the lower end of the vertical steeringshaft K, journaled in the bearing 7c, bolted to the platform A, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The upper end of the shaft K is provided with a hand-wheel K.

As the Wheel and motor carrying frames are all alike, except that the two rear ones do not have the toothed portions g g, a description of one of them will be suiiicient and is as follows:

The frame Gcomprisesa hollow oblong boxlike structure open at its lower end, through which the Wheel projects, and the outer movable side G of the wheel'frame is provided with a journal-bearing g', in which is mount" ed the journal C on the outer side of the wheel. The journal is provided on its outer end with a securing-collar c or other means of holding it in place. The removable outer side or plate G is held in place by the bolts g2.

The top plate or turn-table H of the wheelcarrying frame G is made circular, but flattened at its outer edge, and on the upper side the top plate is provided with a raised marginal flange 71 in the inner angle of which is formed a raceway or groove h', in which are placed the antifriction-balls h2, held in place by the cover-plate H', bolted to the underside of the platform. (See Fig. 3.) The coverplate H has a central tubular bearing hs, into which projects the vertical pivot or pintle H2, extending from the circular plate or turn-table H and forming the axis on which the Wheel-carrying frame turns.

y The wheel C on its inner face is provided with a recess having the internal annular gear-teeth D, into which mesh the two pinions F F, mounted on the studs ff, projecting from the inner wall of the frame G. These pinions F F are in mesh with and driven from the intermediate pinion E, secured to the motor-shaft E. This motor-shaft extends through a motor-box. B, formed or secured on the outer face of the inner side of the wheelcarrying frame G (see Fig. 3) and at its inner end is mounted in a bearinge in the center of wheel C, the outer end of the shaft being journaled in a bearing l), formed on the inner face of the removable cover B of the motor-box B. The shaft E is driven by an electric motor M, mounted on it within the box B and deriving its power from any suitable source.,

In order to relieve the journal C of the weight, I provide the two supporting-rollers C3, which are mounted on axes c3 in the frame G and on which the upper edge of the wheel C bears at opposite sides of a vertical line through its journal.

In order that all four wheels C may act as steering-wheels, I connect diagonally oppo- IOO site wheels by the crossed rods O O, the ends of the rods being pivoted to the said frames by the pivots N, so that when the steeringshaft K is turned the Wheels and their boXes and motors will also turn. 1

It is obvious that a greater or lesser number of my wheel and motor frames may be applied to a vehicle and that the invention may be applied to various forms of vehicles, though I have only shown it on a vehicle designed for heavy Work, such as a dray.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a motor-vehicle,the combination with a wheel and motor carrying frame, of a groundwheel having a journal on one side mounted in a bearing in the frame, a motor mounted at the opposite side of the frame exterior to `the grou nd-wheel and having its shaft mounted in a bearing in the center ofthe opposite side of the wheel, and gearing connecting said shaft and wheel.

2. In a motorvehicle,the combination with a wheel and motor carrying frame, of a ground- Wheel journaled therein and having an in ternally-toothed ring or gear, a motor carried by said frame exterior to said wheel, and having a shaft provided with a pinion concentric with said internally-toothed gear, and a gear carried by the frame and connecting the pinion on the motor-shaft with the rst-named gear.

3. In a motor-vehicle, the horizontally-turn ing frame having a journal-bearing on one side and a motor-box at the other, a wheel having a journal at one side mounted in said bearing and provided at its opposite side with an internal gear, a motor in said box having a shaft extending from its bearings in the box into a central bearing in the Wheel, and there provided with a pinion,- and pinions carried by the frame and connecting the motor-shaft pinion with the wheel-gear.

4. In a motor-vehicle, a horizontally-turn- 4g f tally-turning wheel and motor carrying frames, a steering shaft or bar connected to one or more of said frames, a wheel in every frame, and a motor on every frame and geared to the wheel carried thereby.

6. The combination with a platform orbody, of two horizontally-turning frames, a vertical steering-shaft geared to said frames for turning them in unison, a wheel mounted in each frame and a motor in each frame and geared to the said Wheels.

7. The combination with a platform or body, of two horizontally-turning frames having turn-tables or plates on their upper ends,-

cover-plates secured to the under side of the platform or body and having bearings in which the axes of the frames turn, rollerbearings between the turn-tables and cover; plates, wheels journaled in said frames, mo; tors for the wheels mounted on said frames, connecting-rods between the frames for moving them in unison, a steering-rod provided at the lower end with a pinion and teeth on two of the said turn-tables with which said pinion meshes.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

VVILLIADI BHO VKER, SR; Witnesses:

Jos. H. BLAoKwooD, GEO. H. EVANS. 

